Hi Peta- the leaf drawing is really well done! As is the view of the branch and seed pods! Beautiful work! My comment would be on the leaves. While we draw leaves with a dark side and a light side both respective sides do have both dark and light areas on them just in different ratios. Your leaves are too divided down the middle with a dark and light side. If your light is coming from the left, you will have some highlight on the left side and it gets darker as it transitions to the left edge of the main vein. The right side of the leaf will have a highlight to the right of the main vein and transition to darker tones as it nears the right outside edge. If you have Wendy’s book “The Joy of Botanical Drawing” it has good examples on page 82 and 83. It looks like you used an embosser for the veins. Embossed lines are very unforgiving so you have to be careful. A lot of times veins are light, but not white and it can be hard to get toning or color in an embossed line. A trick for veins is to add the color (pencil) then put a piece of wax paper on top and draw the veins where you want with an embosser. When you lift up the wax paper it has lifted some of the pencil leaving you veins. Keep up the great work!!!!
@Doug Milne Thank you so much for helping me understand how to do the leaves better. I am working through the botanical basics and haven’t got to the leaf bit yet. 🙂 You are absolutely right about the embossing tool too. I’ll try the things you suggest when I attempt a leaf again. I’ve also just ordered Wendy’s book because I see you guys referring to it all the time so it’s about time I have a drawing book to refer to also. Thanks again for the feedback. Peta
Leaf shading is not great, I haven’t done the leaf tutorials yet. 🙂 It’s the overlapping skill I’m trying to work out.
Hi Peta- the leaf drawing is really well done! As is the view of the branch and seed pods! Beautiful work! My comment would be on the leaves. While we draw leaves with a dark side and a light side both respective sides do have both dark and light areas on them just in different ratios. Your leaves are too divided down the middle with a dark and light side. If your light is coming from the left, you will have some highlight on the left side and it gets darker as it transitions to the left edge of the main vein. The right side of the leaf will have a highlight to the right of the main vein and transition to darker tones as it nears the right outside edge. If you have Wendy’s book “The Joy of Botanical Drawing” it has good examples on page 82 and 83. It looks like you used an embosser for the veins. Embossed lines are very unforgiving so you have to be careful. A lot of times veins are light, but not white and it can be hard to get toning or color in an embossed line. A trick for veins is to add the color (pencil) then put a piece of wax paper on top and draw the veins where you want with an embosser. When you lift up the wax paper it has lifted some of the pencil leaving you veins. Keep up the great work!!!!
These are such great studies!
@Doug Milne Thank you so much for helping me understand how to do the leaves better. I am working through the botanical basics and haven’t got to the leaf bit yet. 🙂 You are absolutely right about the embossing tool too. I’ll try the things you suggest when I attempt a leaf again. I’ve also just ordered Wendy’s book because I see you guys referring to it all the time so it’s about time I have a drawing book to refer to also. Thanks again for the feedback. Peta